Method of providing services for users and a service processing system for the same

ABSTRACT

A service processing system includes an IC card possessed by a passenger and at least one automatic ticket inspection machine installed in each station of a traffic facility. The card includes a storage for keeping therein a stored value assigned as an equivalent for utilization of a service and service points supplied in association with a utilization state of services and an interface unit to achieve data communication with an external device. The machine includes a reader/writer to communicate data with the IC card. The machine transfers, when the passenger enters a platform through the machine of the station for the traffic facility, entrance information related to the station to the IC card. The IC card keeps the entrance information and transfers, when the passenger leaves a platform via the machine of a destination station, the entrance information to the machine. In accordance with the entrance information, the machine creates exit information representing a state of utilization of the traffic facility and sends the exit information to the IC card. On receiving the exit information, the IC card calculates service points in accordance with the received exit information and the utilization state.

This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/174,444, filedOct. 19, 1998, now abondoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of providing services forcustomers and users, and in particular, to a service processing systemfor use with a traffic facility such as a railway transportation orfacility in which a point service is carried out in accordance with astate of utilization of each user.

Heretofore, there has been known a customer service called “pointservice”, in which points are assigned to each customer in accordancewith such transaction data as an amount of transaction, in transactionprocessing in a shop or a store, such that when the accumulated numberof points of the customer becomes equal to a predetermined number ofpoints (target number of points), an article or a merchandise coupon isgiven to the customer. JP-A-5-324998, JP-A-6-266970, JP-A-7-65243, etc.describe technologies related to the point service of this kind.

In these service processing systems above, service points are calculatedin accordance with the utilization state of each customer by a hostsystem or a high-order system of a point of sales (POS) system or thelike, and the calculated result is recorded in an IC card issued to thecustomer in advance. Moreover, when changing a rate of addition ofservice points for each customer, the host system or the high-ordersystem refers to data of the rate of addition beforehand stored for thecustomer so as to appropriately calculate the service points inaccordance with the rate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the prior art, the service points are calculated bythe host system or the high-order system such as the POS system.Consequently, the service points are fixedly set to a table arranged inthe high-order system. When it is desired to provide more precisesatisfactory services, for example, when the service points are to bechanged in accordance with the utilization state of each customer, it isrequired for the host system to manage the utilization state of eachcustomer in a concentrated fashion for the calculation of service pointsin accordance with the utilization state. In consequence, it isnecessary for the host system to execute transaction processing for anytransaction, which leads to a problem that the load imposed on the hostsystem becomes heavier and hence the processing response time iselongated. On the other hand, in a case in which such a point service isto be introduced to a passenger traffic facility such as a railwaytransportation, there may be executed processing to calculate pointswhen a passenger enters or leaves a platform of a station through anautomatic ticket inspection machine installed at a wicket of thestation. Since a high processing speed is required in this case, theconventional technology described above cannot be applied to the system.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, which is devised tosolve the problems of the prior art, to supply each customer withservice points in a more precise manner in accordance with theutilization state of the customer, and to supply service points to thecustomer with a high degree of freedom in various fashions in accordancewith information of the customer.

To achieve the object above, there is provided a service processingsystem in accordance with the present invention including an IC cardpossessed by a user or passenger, and an automatic ticket inspectionmachine arranged in each station of the pertinent transportationfacility. The IC card includes storage means for keeping therein astored value supplied as an equivalent for utilization of a service andservice points supplied in association with a service utilization state,and interface means for conducting data communication with an externaldevice. The automatic ticket inspection machine includes a reader/writerfor accomplishing data communication with the IC card, means fortransferring, when the passenger enters a platform of a station throughthe machine to access the transportation facility, entrance informationrelated to the starting station to the IC card, and means for receiving,when the passenger leaves a platform of a station through the machine,the entrance information from the IC card, creating exit informationrepresenting a utilization state of the facility in accordance with theentrance information, and transferring the exit information to the ICcard. Additionally, the IC card includes means for receiving and keepingtherein the entrance information, and means for calculating servicepoints in accordance with a utilization state associated with thereceived exit information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become moreapparent from the consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a system inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal structure of an IC card;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a table layout of a managementinformation table;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an accumulated informationtable;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of anautomatic ticket inspection machine;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing executed betweenthe IC card and the ticket inspection machine when a passenger enters aplatform through the machine;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining entrance information which the ICcard receives from the IC card reader/writer;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the IC card when apassenger leaves a platform through the ticket inspection machine;

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining exit information which the IC cardreceives from the IC card reader/writer when a passenger leaves aplatform through the machine;

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining historical information;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing of theautomatic ticket inspection machine when a passenger leaves a platformthrough the machine;

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a fare calculation table of theautomatic ticket inspection machine; and

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a distance calculation table of theautomatic ticket inspection machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows, in a configuration diagram, an embodiment of a pointservice processing system related to a railway fare in accordance withthe present invention. In the diagram, 101 and 102 denote automaticticket inspection machines installed at a wicket of each station tocommunicate data with an IC card 103 via an input/output sectionthereof. The IC card 103 is used by a passenger. In this embodiment, theIC card 103 is a non-contact IC card for which the IC card/read writercan conduct read and write operations without any physical contacttherewith. When entering or leaving a platform of a station through theticket inspection machine 101, 102, the passenger holds the IC card 103to pass it over the input/output section of the machine 101, 102. The ICcard 103 is used to manage customer information of the holder of thecard, utilization of trains, history of travels, a balance of storedvalue, service points, etc. The machine 101, 102 communicatesinformation with the IC card 103 to carry out processing such asmanagement and control of passages of travelers as well as calculationof the fare.

FIG. 2 shows in a block diagram an internal structure of the IC card103. In the diagram, 201 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) toconduct fundamental processing, control, and storing operations as acomputer. Numeral 202 indicates a random access memory to be accessed bythe CPU 201 for its processing. Numeral 203 is a clock (CLOCK) sectionto supply a clock signal necessary for operation of each section of theIC card 103. Numeral 204 designates a read-only memory (ROM) in whichsuch programs to operate the IC card as an operating system andapplication programs to implement the point service of the embodimentare written. In this embodiment, various functions of the IC card 103are achieved when the CPU 201 executes programs read from the ROM 204.Numeral 205 is an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM)including a nonvolatile memory that has a management information table220 in which information such as personal information is recorded, ahistorical information table 230 to store therein a history ofutilization, and an accumulated information table 240 in whichaccumulated information of utilization state is recorded. Numeral 206 isa power source to supply power necessary for operations of respectivesections of the IC card 103. Numeral 207 indicates an input/outputcontrol section (I/O) to conduct data communication with the IC cardreader/writer. These constituent elements are connected via a bus 208 toeach other.

FIG. 3 shows, in a table layout diagram, an example of the managementinformation table in the EEPROM 205. The management information table220 includes a personal information record area 610 to which a name, anaddress, and the like of a passenger having the IC card 103 areregistered, an entrance information registration area 601 to whichentrance information is registered when the passenger passes through theticket inspection machine by use of the IC card 103, a stored valuebalance record area 602 in which a value balance kept by the IC card 103is recorded, and a service point accumulated value area 603 in which anaccumulated value of service points is recorded.

FIG. 4 shows in a configuration diagram an example of the accumulatedinformation table. As can be seen from the diagram, the accumulatedinformation table 240 includes an accumulated distance field 1101indicating a traveled distance accumulated for each month, anaccumulated fare field 1102, denoting an accumulated fare for eachmonth, and an accumulated travel count field 1103 representing anaccumulated value of travels for each month.

FIG. 5 shows, in a block diagram, an internal constitution of theautomatic ticket inspection machine 101, 102. Numeral 301 indicates anIC card reader/writer to communicate data with the IC card 103. Numeral302 stands for a ticket inspection controller which calculates the fareand the traveled distance and which controls the machine 101, 102.Numeral 303 is a human sensor to detect a human passing through themachine 101, 102. Numeral 304 is door installed in the machine 101, 102to be closed, when an incorrect passage is detected, so as to hinder thepassenger to pass through the machine 101, 102.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing to be executed when the passengerenters a platform of a station through the ticket inspection machine101, 102 in which the passenger holds the IC card 103 to pass it overthe IC card reader 301 of the machine 101, 102. Referring now to theflowchart of FIG. 6, description will now be given of a processingprocedure conducted when the passenger enters the platform through themachine 101, 102. When the IC card is placed over the reader/writer 301,communication is established between the reader/writer 301 and the ICcard 103, and then a check is conducted therebetween (step 401). Whenthe check is finished, the controller 302 of the machine 101, 102creates entrance information and sends the information via thereader/writer 301 to the IC card 103 (step 402). FIG. 7 shows an exampleof the entrance information transferred from the machine 101, 102 to theIC card 103. As shown in FIG. 7, the entrance information 501 includesentry fields such as an entrance date field 502 indicating a date onwhich the passenger enter the platform of the station through themachine 101, 102, an entrance time field 503 denoting a point of time ofentrance, and an entrance station name field 504 indicating a station inwhich the machine 101, 102 is installed. The entrance information sentfrom the machine 101, 102 is stored in the entrance informationregistration area 601 of the management information table 220 (step403).

When the passenger leaves the platform through the machine 101, 102, thepassenger similarly holds the IC card 103 to pass it over thereader/writer 301 as in the case in which the passenger enters theplatform. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure executedin the IC card 103 in this situation. When the passenger places the ICcard 103 over the reader/writer 301 for the passage through the machine101, 102, communication is established between the reader/writer 301 andthe IC card 103, and then a check is conducted therebetween (step 801).When the communication is established and the check is finishedtherebetween, entrance information is read from the entrance informationregistration area 601 of the management information table 220. Theobtained information is transmitted from the I/O controller 207 to thereader/writer 301 of the machine 101, 102. The data transmitted in thisoperation is substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 6 (step 802).Next, the IC card 103 receives exit information sent from thereader/writer 301.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of the exit information.As can be seen from this diagram, the exit information 903 includesinformation items such as a date of entrance, a time thereof, a stationname thereof, a time of exit, a station name thereof, a fare of sectiontraveled 901, and a distance traveled 902 (step 803).

On receiving the exit information 903, the IC card 103 subtracts anamount of the fare indicated by the fare field 901 from a value balanceindicated by the stored value balance field 602. The IC card 103 thenstores the resultant value as a value balance in the balance field 602.Assume, for example, “2350” is stored in the balance field 602 and “180”is stored in the fare field 903 of the exit information 903. The valueof the balance field 602 is accordingly updated to “2170” by subtractingthe latter from the former (step 804). After the update of the balancefield 602, there is created historical information in accordance withthe exit information 903. The historical information is recorded in thehistorical information table 230 of the EEPROM 205. As shown in FIG. 10,the exit information is adopted as the historical information. Stored inthe historical information table 230 is historical (exit) information ina sequence of the entrance date (step 805). Additionally, the IC card103 calculates accumulated information for the current month inaccordance with the exit information and stores the obtained informationin the accumulated information table 240. Specifically, the traveleddistance 902 of the exit information is added to the accumulated valueof traveled distance in the accumulated distance field 1101corresponding to the current month to be stored as a new accumulatedvalue of traveled distance in the accumulated distance traveled 1101.Similarly, the fare of the exit information is added to the accumulatedvalue of fare in the accumulated fare 1102 corresponding to the currentmonth to be stored as the accumulated value of fare in the accumulatedfare field 1102. Furthermore, one is added to the travel count recordedin the accumulated travel count field 1103 (step 806). Subsequently,service points are calculated in accordance with the exit informationand the accumulated information kept in the accumulated informationtable 240. Assume, for example, that the service points are obtained asa sum of the traveled distance and a value attained by multiplying thetraveled distance by a percent value represented by one percent of thetotal of the accumulated distance traveled for the last month and thatof the second to last month. Under this condition, when the traveleddistance of the exit information 903 is “20” and the total of theaccumulated distance traveled for the last month and that of the secondlast month is “580” as shown in FIG. 4, the service points arecalculated as

 20+20×(580×0.01)/100=21

In the calculation of service points, the personal information kept inthe management information table 220 may be used if necessary (step807). The service points obtained in step 807 are added to the valuerecorded in the accumulated point area 603. Thereafter, the area 603 isupdated to the value resultant from the addition (step 808).

After the accumulated service point area 603 is updated, in accordancewith the exit information, the accumulated information kept in theaccumulated information table 240, and the personal information storedin the management information table 220, there is calculated the storedvalue for reduction. Assume, for example, that the fare reduction of 50%applies to children who are five years old or younger. In this case, thedate of birth 607 of the personal information 610 is compared with thedate of entrance of the exit information 903 to determine the age of thepassenger. When the person is under six years old, one half of the fareindicated by the exit information is calculated as the amount ofreduction (step 809). Next, a stored value equivalent to the amount ofreduction attained in step 809 is added to the value in the stored valuebalance field 602 and the obtained stored value is stored in the balancefield 602 (step 810).

FIG. 11 shows, in a flowchart, a procedure of processing in the ticketinspection machine 101, 102 when a passenger leaves a platformtherethrough. The wicket controller 302 of the machine 101, 102establishes communication between the IC card 103 and the IC cardreader/writer 301, and then carries out a check therebetween (step1201). Next, the controller 302 receives the entrance information fromthe IC card 103 (step 1202). Using the information of entrance stationstored in the received entrance information, the controller 302 refersto the fare and distance calculation tables to calculate the distanceand the fare between the start station and the pertinent station.Recorded in the fare table are the name of pertinent the station and thefare between the station and each other station, for example, as shownin FIG. 12. Similarly, the distance calculation table includes, forexample, the name of the pertinent station and the traveled distancebetween the station and each other station as shown in FIG. 13 (step1203). Subsequently, the controller 302 creates exit information inaccordance with the entrance information from the IC card 103, the fareand the traveled distance obtained in step 1203, the current time, andthe name of pertinent station. The resultant exit information is sentfrom the reader/writer 301 to the IC card 103 (step 1204).

In conjunction with the embodiment above, description has been given ofan example in which service points are assigned in accordance with thetraveled distance and the accumulated distance traveled, as well as inaccordance with the age of the passenger. However, there may beimplemented the following services in accordance with the presentinvention.

(1) In step 809 of FIG. 8, when the entrance station name and the exitstation name match one of the nearest stations included in the personalinformation, a stored value is calculated for reduction to be added tothe stored value balance. This makes it possible to reduce the fare of aparticular railway section.

(2) When the age is equal to or more than a particular value in step 809of FIG. 8, the fare is entirely added to the stored value balance. As aresult, any passenger of a particular condition can travel free.

(3) In step 809 of FIG. 8, there is calculated lapsed years relative tothe registration date in the personal information so that the increaserate of points is altered in accordance with the obtained lapsed years.For example, 5% is applied for the lapsed time from one year to twoyears and 10% is applied for the lapsed time equal to or more than twoyears.

(4) In step 809 of FIG. 8, when the job field indicates “student” in thepersonal information, the stored value is calculated for reduction andis added to the stored value balance. As a result, there can be achieveda reduction service equivalent to the reduction for students.

In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention as describedabove, in an IC card possessed by a passenger, there are kept a storedvalue and the service points corresponding to the traveled distance, thefare, or the like. When the passenger enters or leaves the platformthrough an automatic ticket inspection machine installed at a wicket ofeach station, the fare is subtracted from the stored value for the fareadjustment. Moreover, when the passenger enters or leaves the platformthrough an automatic ticket inspection machine, there is receivedinformation to calculate service points such that the service points areaccumulated to be stored in the IC card. Thanks to the provision of theservice processing system of the embodiment, the service points can becalculated and managed by the IC card without using the host system.Additionally, there can be accomplished a more precise point service inaccordance with the passenger or customer and the utilization statethereof without utilizing the host system. The embodiment has beendescribed as an example of the present invention. It is to beappreciated that the invention is not restricted by the embodiment.

While the present invention has been described with reference to theparticular illustrative embodiment, it is not to be restricted by theembodiment but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated thatthose skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiment withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of calculating a service point value inan IC card, comprising the steps of: inputting service identificationinformation in said IC card, wherein said service identificationinformation is received at a first point at which a user utilizes aservice; inputting information representative of a date on which theuser utilizes the service in said IC card; calculating the user's ageinformation on the basis of the user's birthday information stored insaid IC card and said information representative of a date on which theuser utilizes the service using said IC card; transferring said serviceidentification information at a second point; determining a utilizationvalue of utilizing the service between said first and second points inaccordance with said transferred service identification information; andcalculating a service point value on the basis of the user's ageinformation and the utilization value.
 2. A method of calculating aservice point value according to claim 1, wherein the step ofcalculating the service point value is performed at intervals of apredetermined period.
 3. A method of calculating a service point valuein an IC card, comprising the steps of: inputting service identificationinformation in said IC card, wherein said service identificationinformation is received at a first point at which a user utilizes aservice; transferring said service identification information at asecond point using said IC card; determining fare data corresponding toa service utilization between said first and second points in accordancewith said transferred service identification information; inputtingfirst date data in said IC card representative of a date on which theservice is utilized; subtracting a value determined on the basis of saidfare data from stored value balance data representative of a limit toservice utilization; calculating a service point value on the basis ofsaid fare data; calculating a user's age on the basis of said first datedata and a second date data representative of a user's birthday in saidIC card; and adding a value determined on the basis of said servicepoint value and said calculated user's age to said stored value balancedata in said IC card.